I have visited Skykomish every 6 months or so for the last 4 years to photograph the dirty - dirt cleanup work. The Skykomish Hotel, a 3 story wooden structure some 100 years old, has been in a sorry state of repair for some time. The original cedar shake roof has many bare spots in it, allowing rain water to enter the interior. Loose & rotting boards are visible on the roof eaves & West side; as well the swamp cooler on the West side is "supported " by rusty & loose brackets. Until the new foundation was created, the front of the structure had a noticeable sag to it. It seems to me that the BNSF did the building's owner(s) a favor when they installed a concrete foundation for the Hotel as part of their soil remediation work.(This work consisted of jacking up all structures between the RR tracks & the river, scooping out the oil - soaked soil, then replacing it with clean soil.) I'm not sure that BNSF was even required to create new concrete foundations, however I can guess they did were not required to raise buildings up above the 100-year flood level as part of their clean - up efforts.
As a personal note to Cascade Hiker, I have never lived in Skykomish, nor do I know anyone who does. While I would like to see the Skykomish Hotel restored & re - opened, I am not part of any nefarious schemes that may have been concocted. Perhaps you should HIKE up the IRON GOAT Trail to WINDY POINT, sit on the open - air toilet located there, and clear your mind.